So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Galatians 3:5,6
Early on in our relationship, I brought Mary Ann over to meet my parents. My mom made her famous fried chicken with all the trimmings. When it came to serving Mary Ann though, mom went a little overboard.
Mom asked Mary Ann if she’s like some peas. And being raised properly, she said, “Yes, please.” My mom, trying to be nice and generous, started spooning peas onto Mary Ann’s plate. After two spoonful’s, Mary Ann said, “Thank you.”
Now, the normal response is to stop spooning peas. But no, not my mom. She replied in silence, continuing to put spoon after spoon of peas onto Mary Ann’s plate. Mary Ann kindly said again, “That’s plenty. Thank you.” Same response. More peas until they resembled Mount Kilimanjaro on the plains of Tanzania.
What makes this story all the more memorable is that Mary Ann has NEVER liked peas. And still doesn’t to this day.
When God gives, he keeps giving and giving. He goes all in. He never does it half-heartedly. He doesn’t start giving and then get distracted. He doesn’t start to give and then move on. No, he gives, and gives, and gives. He gives lavishly. He gives generously.
God was presently giving to the Galatians in two different ways.
First, God was still growing them in Christ. He was changing them from within through his Holy Spirit living within them. They were still on the path of becoming more and more mature in Jesus, becoming more and more like him.
Second, God was still performing miracles. He was showing himself active and strong through his phenomenal powers. These miracles were a visible demonstration to believers and non-believers of his presence and power within the Galatian church.
That’s who God is. He’s a giving God. He gave to the Galatians. He’s given to so many throughout history.
Think about Abraham. What did he do to earn God’s call? His blessing? I’ll tell you what he did. Nothing. That’s right. Nothing. Nada. Zero. Zip. Zilch. All Abraham did was to believe. He heard God’s call and he listened. He received it. He believed it.
And what did God immediately give to Abraham? Nothing. At least nothing in this world. God didn’t fix it so he won the lottery. A new house with a pool filled with hundred-dollar bills didn’t fall out of the sky. He didn’t even get a QR code to download a new app for free.
But Abraham did receive something that very moment. He became a child of God. Years later, God did keep his promises and gave him a family, a son, and land to feed his flocks.
But you’ve got to ask yourself the question, why. Why does God give? God gives because that’s who he is. He doesn’t give because we’re so cool. Or who we know. Or what we do. He gives because deep, down, inside, he’s a loving Father who loves to give.
Giving comes out from who God is. It’s his nature. If God was going to cook a meal, the main ingredient would be giving. When God speaks, his words are giving. When you cut God, he bleeds giving.
The question that I keep asking myself is, “Why don’t I trust God? Why won’t I believe that God is kind and giving? What’s holding me back from believing him?”
Answer: the problem isn’t with God. It’s with me. He keeps giving. And giving. And giving. And giving. In spite of my lack of faith, he keeps on being who he is. Loving me. Giving himself for me. Giving himself to me.
Does any of this sound at all familiar? Do you have these same doubts and fears?
Welcome to the club. The club of the human race. The club where everyone has turned away from God and tried to do their own thing. Only to wind up in the gutter of life.
And that’s where Jesus went. He went into this gutter of a world to die for us, paying the price we couldn’t. And when we believe him, receiving his payment, he lifts us up. Cleans us up. Makes us his child.
Not perfect, but still his child. He restores us to become the people he made us to be.
Noodling Questions
Describe how God keeps giving and giving and giving to you.
How does being a child of God impact your daily life?
How do you answer yourself when you don’t trust God?
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